WeMoms
24 May 2022
Baby crying: understanding for better consolation
From their first cry at birth to their first words, the baby expresses their needs, worries, and anxieties through tears: tears remain their only means of communication. How can we understand and soothe them?
- You remember her first cry: between happiness and anxiety, you heard her cries marking her arrival in your life.
- That first cry was an expression of her fear of a new world, as well as a way to let air into her lungs, marking the beginning of her autonomy.
- Until she can express herself with words or gestures, crying will be her only means of communication.
- Month after month, babies will evolve to express different needs, such as anxieties or worries.
- During the first weeks, for example, crying fits will be the only way for the baby to get rid of the stress of the day, to tell you that she is hungry, that her diaper is dirty, or that she is too hot.
- Colic, which occurs in the evening, will also be one of the causes of their tears.
- As time goes by, you will learn to recognize these cries and anticipate your baby's needs.
- These cries will gradually subside as the baby finds their rhythm, but they will return between the 7th and 9th months.
- The fear of separation, and the anxiety at night before going to sleep will be then possible causes of tears, sometimes inconsolable ones.
- Week after week, month after month, as soon as the baby cries, parents will be there to calm her down, to soothe her, even if these tears can generate questions and worries.
- Even though this subject is still being debated today, don't let your baby cry, as some health professionals believe that it leads to stress and anxiety.
- Take your baby in your arms, talk to her in a soft and reassuring voice, and massage her belly.
- Establish rituals to soothe your baby at regular times, especially at bedtime: bath, dinner, story or nursery rhyme, blanket or comforter, the baby will gradually understand that it's time to go to sleep, but that she'll be back with their parents the next morning.
- In any case, let your instinct guide you, it will be your best ally to reassure the baby, with patience and peacefulness.
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In this article
Understanding evening crying to soothe it
1
In the first few weeks after the birth of a baby, parents are sometimes confronted with evening crying, which can be a source of anxiety.
- It's 7 p.m. and your baby starts crying and gesticulating without you being able to comfort him.
- Rest assured that evening crying is common in infants between one and three months of age.
- Called "evening dysrhythmia", this phenomenon is linked to several causes.
- These crying spells are a communication tool for the baby, allowing him to release the intensity of the discoveries that have highlighted her day.
- The separation anxiety for the night, which is nevertheless necessary for her autonomy, can also cause crying.
- Colic can also cause the baby to utter high-pitched, shrieking cries that are easily recognizable.
- A quiet room, a bedtime ritual, reassuring words... There are many solutions to reassure the baby and allow them to have sweet dreams.
Baby's cries, between questions and worries
2
All young mothers are worried when their baby cries. But these cries are different day after day, month after month. How can they be interpreted and soothed?
- As babies are not yet able to express themselves with words or gestures, crying is their only way to show that they need something.
- Hunger, sleep, digestive pain, dirty diaper... Babies express themselves! Especially during the first months, you need to cut babies some slack.
- These cries, less frequent after the 3rd month, come back around the 8th month with night terrors or separation anxiety.
- These cries mark the beginning of learning to be independent and can also be a sign of a nervous discharge after a day filled with emotions.
- It is therefore advisable to calm the baby down at each crying fit and to use words to relieve their little daily discomforts.
Solutions to soothe baby's crying
3
In the first few weeks after birth, a baby's crying can be confusing for young parents, so how can you understand it to help calm her down?
- Crying is your baby's natural way of expressing herself, and she will use the tears to get your attention.
- Before finding other ways to communicate, she will use different cries that you will learn to recognize over time.
- If the baby is hungry, the cries will be rhythmic, she will put her fists to her mouth and look for the breast or the bottle.
- If the baby is tired, she will probably rub his eyes, and her cries will be low at first and then become louder.
- During colic, the infant's cries are high-pitched, and they will alternately cry out and arch.
- Tight clothing, wet diapers, and the same kind of short but repeated cries indicate the baby's discomfort.
- A shrieking cry or screaming is a sign of fear or anxiety.
- In any case, in the first few weeks, the baby's crying requires immediate parental intervention.
